Secondary closure for spirituous beverage bottles



March 13,1945. L, p, wEmE'R 2,371,372

SECONDARY CLQSURE FOR SPIRITUOUS BEVERAGE BOTTLES Filed May '4, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG 1.

ATTORNEYS.

March 13, 1945. wE|NER 2,371,372

SECONDARY CLOSURE FOR SPIRITUOUS BEVERAGE BOTTLES Filed May 4, 1942 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 FIG. 4 I 5- 8 25 '0 4/ I zz 5 A? I E TOOPEN I 24 :CU'IiHEFf E'TU I 7 I 1 43 i 43 I I I l INVENTOR.

L.P'W EinEr.

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7 BY O I ATTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 13, 1945 UNITED;

P EN "mince;

f SECONDARY CLOSURE FOR srmrrUoUs,

a, I BEVEEAGEBQTTLES Lewis-P. Weiner, Peoria, m, assignor to Hiram- Walker it Son's lnca leoria, Illa acorporation of Michigan Application May 4, 1942, Serial N6. 441,751

\ 5' Claims. (01. 215-38). -The present invention relates to secondary. olesures for spirituous beverage bottlesand the principal object of the invention is; to-provide such a closure, as a substitute for the metallic capsule commonly used for bottled. whiskles, liqueurs and other spirituous beverages,-which is low in cost of manufacture, easily applied to-the bottle,,having. a primary closure, .in a manner to have good appearance and to comply with the; law relative to scaling of such bottles, and which avoids con-. tamination of the product, after the seal is broken, and it is poured from the bottle,

Another object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive secondary closure of the character described which is not likely to be damaged in the handling of the bottles equipped withsuch closures and especially while being removed from packing cases or in theplacing of the bottles in stock or for display.

' I am aware that it has been proposed prbl vide a substitute for the one-vpiece tinfoil or sheet,

lead tubular cap or capsule quite commonlyused in the past on champagne bottles,- wherein the substitute comprises two oblong, substantially rectangular pieces of tinfoil-one acting as a among. which may be mentioned. firshthe ability tocutrthepaper parts to patternsv which will neat- 1y fit the contour of the neck and cap portions of the particular package for which they are,in-' tended; second, the ability to neatly print or emboss trade-marks, and other indicia onthepaper' while in. sheet form; third, the assurance that the circumferentially overlapping portions of thethe primary closure, the bandwill effectively reel neck covering and the other as a cork covering,

the latter so shaped as to expose a portionof the usual cork retaining wire. However, suchsubstitutes contemplate crushing-or wrinkling the tinfoil so as to become permanently set in condition to conform rather precisely to the contour of the bottle-neck, the projecting portionof the cork, and the wiring for the cork, and uses a considerable quantity of tinfoil-possibly more than is required to make the one-piece tinfoil tubular cap or capsule designed to cover substantially the same area.

I am also aware that it has been proposed to provide capsules for bottles. each capsule being made of tw or more pieces of sheet-metal, per- -forated or cut to provide large'openings'for air 7 to enter and reach the cork and wire associated therewith, but such capsules are expensive to manufacture and. costly in their application to the bottles, since they use considerable; sheetmetal and must be primarily formedto substantially the contour of the bottle cork and' neck portion,thenslipped into place and finally distorted to become permanently set in intimate contact with the bottle neck, cork and wire.

In carrying out my invention I prefer to make the secondary closure mainly of paper, preferably metallic finish paper, secured-by an adhesive to the bottle neck and primary closure, andto avoid unsightly wrinkling of the paper. I prefer to make the secondary closure mainly of two paper parts having marginally overlappingcircumferential portions, with a cellulose band contracted about the zone where the paper parts circumferentially overlap. This has many advahtages tainl portions of the strip revenue. stamp upon the bottle. This, has many advantagesffamong which may be mentioned. the holdingv of-the strip revenue stamp in placeshould the adhesive thereon fail, and also guarding against the. absence of portions of the revenue stamp on the bottle at retail outlets where the law requires suchto' be on the bottles even thothe portion of; the revenue stamp over theprimary closure may have become loosened or misplaced.

Other objects and adva ntages of the invention will appear in the following-detailed description of the preferred embodiment of'the invention,

taken in connection'with the accompanying'drawings, forming a part of this which drawings A,

Figure 1 is aside elevation of a bottleh'aving a. secondary closure made according to the present invention. v v

specification; and in Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view in I, side elevation of the neck portion of the bottle I Figure 3is'a view similarto Figure looking toward the back of the bottleneck; 3 v Fleur-e5 is a further enlarged view partlyj'in elevation and 'partly'in central vertical section to disclose preferred details. I Q p Figures 6 and .7 are cross sectional views on the lirie'sB-G and 1-1, respectivelyof Figured, Q,

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figurel but s owmary closure removed. I

Figure 9 is a face view showing a typical pattern, of one of the secondary closure pa'rts'for the neck portion of the bottle. y vFigure lll is a view similar to FigureQ, but relating toianothcr part of the secondary closure;

ing the secondary closure severed and the pri- In the drawings, A designates a bottle suitable as a container for spirituous beverages; sometimes termed abar bottle; B a primary closure or cap therefor and which in the example shown is of ingtothe present invention.

In the example shown, the bottle A includes a neck ll comprising a body portion l2, a top or mouth portion l3 and an outstanding annular bead l4 therebetween. The body portion I2 is .edges 33 and 34, as shown at 31 in Figure 7. By

making the band 22 arcuate in shape, even though the skirt l8 of cap B may be of substantially uniform external diameter throughout its height, the

band may be shaped neatly to the contour of the bead 14 of greater diameter than the cap skirt.

. In practice, the adhesives or gums 25 and 35 may be in dry form on the bands 2| and 22 as supplied by the manufacturer, and moistened just prior to application to the bottle, or the bands may be supplied without gum and the adhesive brushed or otherwise applied to the designated surfaces of the bottle and cap, or to the bands, just frusto-conical in shape or, in other words, is pro-.

gressively of increased diameter below the bead i4, and the mouth portion is provided with an external screw thread l for cooperation'with an internal screw thread iii of the primary closure B.

In addition to the thread IS, the primary closure B includes a head IT, a cylindrical skirt l8, and a liner I9. When the closure B is'in place on the bottle A, the liner I9 is compressed upon the rim as a result of the action of thread I6 with respect to thread 15, and the skirt l8 extends downwardly and exteriorly of the top portion l3 of the bottle neck. In practice, the skirt I8 is made as thin as possible, to conserve material. Its external diameter may be less than the diameter of bead M, for the bead is formedin the manufacture of the bottle to hold the finish of the top or mouth portion of the bottle while the remainder is being blown, and this bead must be of substantial cross section to function properly;

In'the example shown, the secondary closure C comprises a first band 21 of paper and constitutes theneck body band; a second band 22, also of paper, which may be generally termed. the cap band, altho it preferably extends beyond the lower margin of the cap B; a strip revenue stamp 23; and-a relatively narrow, preferably endless cellulose band '24. In the views, the thickness of the -material is necessarily exaggerated, forin practice relatively thin paper or metallic foil may housed in the production of bands 21 and 22, and

the strip stamp andban d 24 areof relatively thin material.

The band 2| 'is patterned to the secured, as by an adhesive 25, to a portion of the tapering body l2 of neck H next below bead l4, as shown more particularly in Figures 2' and 5; It is arcuate in plan, as shown in Figure 9, having a concave longitudinal edge 26, a convex longitudinal edge 2! and end edges 28 and 29 in diverging relation from edge 26 to edg 21. Whensecured to the. bottle neck, it forms a frusto-conicaljband about the neck and may have delineated thereona trade-mark, or .brand name, or other indicia .not shown in the drawings. The material of band 2| is preferably in overlapping relation adjacent theedges 28 and 29,'as shown at 30 in Figures 4.6 and 8.

Since, in the preferred form of the invention, the band 22 is intended to give the visual. appearance of thefupper portion of a one-piece capsule prior to application of the bands to the bottle. I have also found that in practice the bands may be made to adhere intimately to thecontours of the bottle and cap by subjecting them to hydraulic pressure in 'a crimping machine or by pressure applied thru rubber pads forced together around the neck and cap. It is particularly desirable to crease the'band 22 at the zone 38 where there is a space 39 between the lower margin of cap'B and bead I4, to facilitate severing the secondary closure at the zone when it is desired to open the bottle.

' The strip stamp 23 is secured as by adhesive 40 to the cap B and bands 21 and 22 with an intermediate portion 4| ofthe stamp extending over the head H of the cap and end portions 42 at diametrically opposite portions ofthe bands 2| and 22.

The annular band 24 is preferably of endless type and ihitially'of a size to be easily slipped in place overlying sections or the'end portions 42 of the stamp 23 and preferably surrounding the bands 2| and 22 at the zone where the band 22 overlies band 21, as well as at the zone 38. This band is of cellulose material having the inherent characteristic of contracting or shrinking when moistened and permitted to dry. When thus contracting, it aids in shaping thebands 2! and 22 and the portions of stamp 23 to the contours of the bottle and cap. It is particularly desirable that the lower marginal portion 43 overlie the band 2lbelow the edge 32 of band 22, so that in carelessly handling the bottle, and especially when lifting or lowering the same by grasping the bottle neck below the bead l4, the lower edge portion of band '22 will not become torn or peeled off and rendered unsightly.

While the band 22 may carry a trade-mark or other indicia not shown in the drawings, and this maybe accomplished by embossing or perforating the band, it is important that the band be imperforate at least at its portion overlying the 'space 39 between 'bead l4 and the circumferen- 'tial face of the skirt l8 of the primary closure,

and hence extends over the bead, l4 and over a portion of the band 2|, as ,well'as over the skirt portion of cap 13, this band 22 is also a'rcuate in shape, .asyshown in Figure 10, having a shallow concave longitudinal edge 3!, a convex longitudinal edge 32, and end edges 33 and 34 in diverging relation from edge 3! toward edge 32.' This band 22. is secured by adhesive35 to cap B, bead I4 and in overlapping relation to the upper portion of band 2 l, as shown at 36, more, particularly in Figures 3 and 5. The material of band 22 is preferably in overlapping relation adjacent the otherwise the cellulose band 24, when contracting, is apt to break the band 22 circumferentially at'zone- 38 and give the appearance of a package .that has been opened.

The band 24is preferably made of transparent material so'the color bands 2! and'22 'will'show thru same and give the visual effect of a onepiece capsule. The band 24 may have indicia 44 delineated thereon, at or adjacent the zone 38, to indicate where the secondary closure may be cut to facilitate opening of the package.

The band 22'may be primarily forced to ex- :tend into the space 39 shown in Fig. 2, by the crimping machine thus causing the crease shown in Fig. 3 at zone 38 to appear .at the time; the band is pasted to the primary closure B and the 'bead,l4. However, when the cellulose band 22 is applied and contracts or shrinks it may further tion of the primary closure, a second band secured to and extending circumferentially of the said portion of the primary closure and in overlapping relation to the upper portion of said first band, a stamp, secured to said secondary closure,

with its intermediate portion extending over said primary closure and its end portions therefrom extending downwardly over both said first and second bands, and a cellulose band contracted about said end portions of said stamp and said first andsecond bands, and of a depth to exsurface of the material from which the bands tend about at least a portion of the zone .where said first and second bands overlap and about a portion of said first band below said zone.

3. In combination with a bottle having a neck and a removable primary closure therefor including a cylindrical skirt portion extending downwardly from the mouth of the bottle and inconspicuous, but also in effect compresses the material from which the bands 2| and 22 are made, and in a manner embeds itself in the material at the vulnerable zone.

When the secondary closure is severed at the zone 38 of band 22, the cap B may be removed and portions of' the revenue stamp 23 are held to the bottle neck by band 24, as shown in Figure 8. Any material of the'secondary closure remaining on the bottle is remote from the mouth, where it cannot contaminate the contents of the bottle while being poured out.

While I have shown the secondary closure as applied to a bottle and cap having the characteristics shown in the aforementioned Chiles application, Serial Number 271,238, it is to be understood that such is merely by way of example. The invention may be applied to bottles and caps, the external contours of which are suitable for the reception of the one-piece capsules previously made of tinfoil or sheet-lead, but which are expensive to manufacture and apply, difficult; if not impossible at times to obtain, and likely to contaminate the contents of the bottle when being poured therefrom.

I claim:

1. In combination with a bottle having a neck including a body portion,'and an annular bead} and a primary closure for said neck including a part providing a circumferential face laterally of the bottle and spaced slightly above said head; a

secondary closure comprising a relatively wide paper band secured by. an adhesive to and circumferentially of said face of the primary closure and to said head, said paper band being imperforate at least at its portion overlying the space between said bead and said circumferential face of the primary closure, and a relatively narrow cellulose band contracted about said paper band circumferentially thereof at-the zone overlying'the said space between the primary closure and bead and producing an inwardly ex-, tending crease at said zone.

2. In combination with a bottle having'a neck and a primary closure therefor including a portion extending downwardly and 'exteriorly of the top of the neck; a secondary closure comprising a first band secured to the bottle neck circumferentially thereof, with its upper margin terminating short of the lower margin of said porin exteriorly encircling relation to the bottle neck; a secondary closure comprising, a first band secured to the bottle neck wholly below said skirt portion, a second band encircling said skirt portion of the primary closure and extending downwardly therefrom in overlying relation,to theupper portion of said first band, and an adhesive securing said second hand to said skirt portion throughout its circumference and to the upper portion of said first band, whereby the second band may be severed circumferentially at the lower portion of said skirt and its upper portion remain secured to said skirt of the primary closure.

4. In combination with a bottle having a neck and removable primary closure therefor including a cylindrical skirt portion extending downwardly from the mouth of the bottle and in exteriorly encircling relation to the bottle neck; a secondary closure comprising a band encircling said skirt portion and extending downwardly therefrom in overlying relation to the neck portion of the bottle below said skirt portion, an adhesive securing said band to said skirt portion throughout its circumference, and a narrow celluloseannular' band contracted about said first mentioned band at its portion overlying the low er portion of said skirt and its portion therebecluding a cylindrical skirt portion extending downwardly from the mouth of the bottle and in' exteriorly encircling relation to the bottle neck;

a secondary closure comprising a first band patterned to encircle. in wrinkle-free engagement the neck of the bottle below said skirt portion, an adhesive for securing said firstband to the bottle neck, a second band patterned to encircle in wrinkle-free engagement the said skirt portion of the primary closure and extending downwardly therefrom in overlapping relation to the upper portion of said first band, an adhesive securing said second band to said skirt of the pri-, mary closure, anda narrow cellulose annular band contracted about said first and second bands at, at least, the zone where they are in overlapping relation.

LEWIS P. WEINER. 

